Randy Travis stabilized, showing 'signs of improvement'

Doctors for Randy Travis gave an update and more details Wednesday on the country superstar's condition since his hospitalization Sunday in Texas.

Travis came through the ER at Baylor Medical Center in McKinney on Sunday after suffering a viral upper-respiratory infection for three weeks, said Dr. William Gray, director of cardiovascular services at the medical center. The singer had been in fine health before the infection, he said.

He was admitted at Baylor McKinney with presumptive cardiomyopathy and congestive heart failure and was stabilized, Gray said.

Contrary to some reports, Travis did not have heart surgery, his rep said Tuesday. Rather, he underwent a minimally invasive procedure to insert an Impella peripheral left ventricular assist device — a tiny heart pump — for stabilization before transferring hospitals. Rep Kirt Webster said Travis was being treated for viral cardiomyopathy.

The decision to transfer the singer had been made Monday.

"We determined together, in a joint decision, that a higher level of specialized care was appropriate and therefore we transferred him to the Heart Hospital Baylor Plano," Dr. Michael Mack, director of cardiovascular disease at the Baylor Health Care System in Dallas, said in a media conference Wednesday.

"Since his transfer, his condition has stabilized and he has shown signs of improvement."